An Offer from a Gentleman Summary, Themes, Synopsis & Characters [by Julia Quinn]

Title	An Offer from a Gentleman
Category	Novel
Author	Julia Quinn
Genre	Historical Romance
Publication Date	3 July 2001
Pages	384
Publisher	HarperCollins
Setting	England, early 19th century

An Offer from a Gentleman Characters

The main characters from “An Offer from a Gentleman” are:

1. Sophie Beckett – The story’s protagonist , Sophie is a Cinderella-like character who works as a servant in her stepmother’s household. She is sweet, intelligent and motivated towards creating a better life for herself.

2. Benedict Bridgerton – The Bridgerton family’s second eldest son, Benedict is gorgeous, personable and has a reputation for being a bit of a rogue. From the minute he meets Sophie, he is attracted to her.

3. Lady Bridgerton – The Bridgerton family’s matriarch, Lady Bridgerton is a lovely and intelligent woman who adores her children. She takes Sophie under her wing and helps her navigate the challenges of high society.

4. Rosamund – Sophie’s cruel stepmother who treats her like a servant and constantly berates her.

5. Posy – Sophie’s kind and innocent stepsister who becomes her closest ally.

6. Edwina Sheffield – A beautiful debutante who catches the eye of many eligible bachelors, including Benedict. She becomes a rival for his affections.

An Offer from a Gentleman Themes

1. Love and Romance – The novel revolves around the romantic relationship between Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett. It delves on the topics of love, desire and the obstacles that the couple faces in their search of happiness.

2. Social Class and Status – The story highlights the rigid social class hierarchy of the Regency Era and how it affects the lives of the characters. Sophie is a servant girl who dreams of a better life, while Benedict is a member of the aristocracy and the challenges they face due to their different social statuses.

3. Self-discovery and Identity – Sophie Beckett, the novel’s protagonist, must navigate the complexity of her own identity while reconciling her humble origins with her newfound status as a member of the Bridgerton family.

4. Family and Loyalty – The story also examines the value of family and loyalty as the Bridgerton siblings come together to protect Sophie from their cruel stepmother’s schemes.

An Offer from a Gentleman Summary

The plot starts out with Benedict Bridgerton falling in love at first sight with a woman named Sophia “Sophie” Beckett during a masked ball event. Both of them dance all night, but at twelve o’clock she is forced to flee the event, leaving Benedict confused where she went.

In reality, Sophie is the unlawful daughter of the Earl of Penwood, who adored her & cherished her as his legal child, much to the displeasure of his wife, Araminta Gunningworth. Araminta exploited Sophie as an unpaid house slave when the Earl died. The other maids assisted Sophie in sneaking away for the masked ball, but when she comes back Araminta catches her & forces her to get out of the house.

The scene shifts ahead 2 years to Sophie working as a housemaid for the Cavenders. Benedict is at the party & witnesses Phillip Cavender molesting Sophie. Despite the fact that Benedict does not recognise Sophie, he protects her against Phillip, who dismisses Sophie. As a result, Benedict feels bad & pledges to find Sophie employment through his mother, Violet.

Benedict becomes unwell on the way to his family’s house & Sophie nurses him back to health. He falls in love with her but realises he can’t get married to a housemaid. Instead, he suggests hiring her as a mistress, but she declines. Benedict falls deeply in love with her after offering her a position as a lady’s maid with his mom.

One day, he saw her masked face as she was playing blind man’s bluff and he suddenly came to know that she is the girl from the masked ball event. They dispute over why she didn’t tell him & Sophie quits her job because she believes he doesn’t want her around.

Meanwhile, Araminta discovers Sophie has returned to town & arrests her for theft. Sophie’s stepsister Posy arrives to rescue her & discloses that the Earl left a hidden will, giving Sophie with a dowry. Violet threatens to have Araminta jailed for taking Sophie’s dowry if she discloses Sophie’s illegitimacy background to anybody. And, at the last scene Benedict & Sophie married and lived happily for life.

An Offer from a Gentleman Synopsis

“An Offer from a Gentleman” is a historical romance novel by Julia Quinn, published in 2001.

On the night of a masquerade ball, Sophie meets Benedict Bridgerton, a charming and handsome man, who is instantly attracted to her.

They spend the evening together, but as midnight arrives, Sophie is forced to depart without disclosing her actual identity.

Benedict and Sophie are reunited months later, although she is no longer a servant, having been evicted from her father’s home.

Benedict offers to help her by offering her the position of his mistress, but Sophie refuses to be anything other than his wife.

As they overcome the challenges of their socioeconomic differences and the expectations of their families the two continue on a journey of love and self-discovery.

In the end, they must determine whether their love is worth the sacrifices required to be together.

An Offer from a Gentleman FAQs

About the Author-Julia Quinn

Detail	Description
Full Name	Julia Quinn
Birthdate	January 12, 1970
Birthplace	New York, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Author, Novelist
Genre	Historical romance
Notable Works	Bridgerton series, The Splendid Trilogy
Education	B.A. in Art History from Harvard University
Awards	RITA Award for Best Regency Historical Romance
Website	https://juliaquinn.com/
Social Media	Twitter: @JQAuthor